Santa Clara played its fourth and final game of its foreign tour at the University of British Columbia this morning at 10 am. Falling in overtime on Thursday night to the T-Birds, the Broncos rebounded to win 68-63 this morning after UBC started the game on a 15-0 run. The Broncos finish the Vancouver trip 2-2, winning the last two games, playing overtime the first three games.
Bronco assistant coach Sam Scholl got his crack at being the head coach. Scholl is in his fifth year as a Bronco assistant coach. Scholl's starters were his team from the Amazing Race challenge on Thursday. They are starting this morning: Karim York, Jordan Akwenuke, Brandon Clark, Robert Garrett and Raymond Cowels III. Click here for story, video and photos on Amazing Race: Bronco Style. http://santaclarabroncos.com/sports/m-baskbl/2011-12/releases/20110908hlgpr7
"I thought it was awesome how the guys didn't get down and really responded. They stayed with it, stayed positive and got back in after starting 15-0. It was a good lesson for us to learn too - that we have to come out with energy right away," said Scholl. "We wanted to make sure that everyone got to play in a lof of different situations. I thought Kevin and Evan did a great job of staying positive and being ready when it was their turn, but they knew they wouldn't play a lot today. It was fun to see Robert, Karim and Phil all played 20 minutes plus today and it was fun to see their efforts."
How about the experience of being the head coach? "It was awesome. It was so much fun. I know that James and Dustin said the same things. To see how you would be, how you would react and act in pressure situations. It was invaluable. We are all three very thankful for the experience and glad Coach Keating came up with the idea," added Scholl.
Scholl's parents, wife, two young girls and friends and family witnessed his debut. His Dad, Dennis, remarked "this is 20 years in the making" at halftime.
Santa Clara shot 35.4 percent, including 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. The Broncos were 10 of 15 from the free throw line (66.7 percent). They collected 43 rebounds, 12 assists, 7 steals and turned the ball over 20 times. UBC shot 33.3 percent, including 19.0 percent from beyond the arc. The T-Birds were 17 of 20 from the free throw line (85.0 percent). They collected 39 rebounds, 9 assists, seven steals and turned the ball over 18 times.
Individually Santa Clara was led by Julian Clarke's 15 points (5 of 6 beyond the arc). Brandon Clark added 11. Yannick Atanga grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Clark added two steals. Phillip Bach scored eight.
"It was a great win for us. We started out flat, it was a morning game, but we came back and everyone really got into it. We played really good defense to get back in the game and it was a great win for the team. It was great to play well in front of family and friends, including my mom," said Clarke, a native of Toronto, Canada. "The best part of the trip was probably doing the Grouse Grind, the two mile hike straight up the mountain. This was a really good trip for everyone."
For the T-Birds Nathan Yu led all scorers with 21. Graham Bath added 12 and Doug Plumb 11. Bath and Tommy Nixon both scored seven rebounds.
With Santa Clara playing its second game in 16 hours and its third in 50 hours, UBC ran out to a 15-0 start. At 4:44, Evan Roquemore, John McArthur, Yannick Atanga, Denzel Johnson and Phillip Bach checked in.
McArthur scored first for the Broncos at 4:14. UBC answered at 3:27. Roquemore crushed a three at 3:07. UBC scored again to take its lead to 19-5 at 2:33.
Johnson was fouled driving the lane and he scored both free throws. Johnson followed with a jumper at 1:27. McArthur answered UBC's jumper with a quick move under the basket for two. 21-11 UBC with 29 seconds left in the first quarter.
Garrett's dunk about took the rim down at 8:52, 21-16 UBC. Yu scored another three point play at 8:41. Clarke buried a three at 7:52, but Yu answered, 27-19 UBC.
Foster knocked down a three, UBC answered. Harrison scored a free throw as did Clark. Bach crushed his second three of the game.
Clark's sweet pass to Cowels resulted in a three, 33-32 UBC at 1:02. UBC scored at the buzzer and led 35-32 at the half.
Santa Clara shot 31.4 percent, including 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. The Broncos were 4 of 6 from the free throw line (66.7 percent). They collected 18 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals and turned the ball over 10 times. UBC shot 44.8 percent, including 42.9 percent from beyond the arc. The T-Birds were 6 of 7 from the free throw line (42.9 percent). They collected 19 rebounds, 5 assists, seven steals and turned the ball over 12 times.
Individually Bach led the Broncos with six points and Johnson and McArthur both added four. Akwenuke grabbed a team-high four rebounds. Doug Plumb led the T-Birds with 11 points and Yu scored nine. Graham Bath grabbed a team-high five rebounds.
UBC struck first in the third quarter. Clark drove through the lane to score at 9:22. Clark then made a three to tie it up at 37-37. Yu answered with his own basket inside. Bach went inside to tie it up, 39-39.
Clarke's three gave the Broncos a 42-40 lead at 5:47. Two T-Bird free throws tied it up at 42, but Clark's finger roll gave the Broncos the lead once again. 44-42, 5:21. The T-Birds scored five straight to go up 47-44.
Roquemore's three tied it up at 2:42. McArthur drove to the basket, scored and was fouled, scoring the free throw. Yu answered. 50-49 Broncos at 1:45.
Clarke's three gave the Broncos a 53-49 lead headed into the fourth quarter. Bath scores first for the T-Birds in the fourth quarter at 7:49. York was hammered heading to the basket and he hit a free throw.
Atanga scored two free throws at 4:52 to give the Broncos a 57-53 lead. Timeout UBC.
Atanga, active on the boards, scored on a put-back to put SCU up 59-55 at 2:57. Atanga scored again at 2:27 putting SCU up 61-55.
UBC scored two and after a T-Bird turnover Scholl called for a timeout. He drew up the perfect play with Clark hitting a three. Clark came back down and hit another big three to give the Broncos at 67-63 lead with 23 seconds left. Timeout T-Birds.
After being fouled on a T-Bird turnover, Clark hit a free throw to put SCU up 68-63 with six seconds left.